Chapter 173: Concealing Strength
The young emperor's sword danced swiftly, instantly creating a fan-shaped light screen in front of him. After barely blocking the palm strike, he spun around three times like a top, his sword transforming into three deadly scythes, aiming straight for Ling Xueyan's throat!
In a split second, Ling Xueyan felt a chill run down her neck and hurriedly unleashed a flurry of palm strikes! "Clang! Clang!" Two swords clashed, and the third palm slammed into the young emperor's chest. Simultaneously, she jerked her head to avoid the third sword strike. A crisp "clang" rang out as the hairband was shattered by the young emperor's final strike! The young emperor, also struck hard, let out a muffled groan, staggered back two steps, and coughed up another mouthful of blood.
Her headband shattered, her black hair fell loose, and Ling Xueyan instantly appeared like a madwoman. "You're courting death!" With a furious roar, her true energy erupted from her body like a raging torrent! She took a lunge step, her arms opening and closing, as if the air in front of her had been instantly sucked away!
"Whoa!" A strange, hollow sound rang out, and before the young prince could even steady himself, he was suddenly lifted into the air! He was horrified: "How is this possible?!" He instinctively struggled to move his limbs, but to no avail, as if trapped in quagmire. "This... this is 'Rainy Suspension'?!" A look of astonishment fell upon Ling Xueyan, who had unleashed the technique.
Ling Xueyan's lips curled into a cruel and triumphant smile: "Not bad! Sending you on your way with this ultimate technique will not be a waste of your cultivation!" Before she finished speaking, she closed her stance, raised her right palm, spread her five fingers, and grabbed at the floating young emperor's head in mid-air! Like a puppet on strings, the young emperor's head was seized by an invisible force and suddenly rushed into Ling Xueyan's palm!
"Oh..." With a deep murmur, Ling Xueyan began frantically absorbing the pure inner energy from the young emperor's body. With a clang, the young emperor's Maple Leaf Sword slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground. His years of painstakingly cultivated inner strength, like water bursting its banks, was forcibly drawn away by Ling Xueyan from the Baihui acupoint on the top of his head!
Hiding behind the door, Qiu Xia witnessed this scene and was terrified. She hurriedly raised her hand to cover her mouth, barely daring to breathe, lest she be noticed. "This is… the Absorbing Yuan Technique?!" Her eyes widened as she clearly saw the young emperor suspended in mid-air, utterly powerless, his once-red hair rapidly turning snow-white, his limbs withering drastically, and his handsome face quickly becoming covered in wrinkles, aging rapidly…
Qiu Xia's eyes widened like copper bells. She swallowed hard, steadied herself, and trembled as she scrambled away from the dungeon while Ling Xueyan was completely focused on her, fearing that if she was even a step too late, she would suffer the same fate.
In a mere moment, the young emperor's inner energy had been completely drained. With a muffled thud, his withered body crashed to the ground. Ling Xueyan stood with her feet together, eyes slightly closed, palms facing down, slowly calming the surging, suddenly surging true energy within her body. At this moment, her face was rosy and radiant, her skin glowing, and her figure seemed lighter, making her appear a year or two younger, radiating a feeling of rebirth and profound comfort.
She slowly opened her beautiful eyes, glanced at the withered corpse on the ground, and kicked it away fiercely, confirming that the young emperor was no longer alive. "Hmph, absorbing the inner energy of such peerless cultivation, truly extraordinary... What a pity for that old bastard Ouyang Longyuan..." As she spoke, the sinister and vicious look in her eyes was almost unbelievable that such a gaze could come from a woman.
Qiu Xia, still shaken, fled back to her room. Leaning against the closed door, her chest heaved, her mind racing: She never imagined Ling Xueyan was hiding so deeply! Judging from her cultivation level, she had clearly reached the Transcendent Realm, yet she was willing to serve Ouyang Longyuan... Her ambition was truly terrifying!
Thinking of this, a flash of inspiration struck her, and she cried out in a low voice, "Xiaoyao Lang!!" No, Xiaoyao Lang was too dangerous by her side! If he found an opportunity to drain her inner energy, the consequences would be unimaginable! I must find a way to take him away... "With this thought, Qiuxia's eyes flickered rapidly, her hands unconsciously clasped together in her bosom, and she began pacing anxiously in the room...
On the Wind-Welcoming Platform of the Heavenly Palace in the Eastern Divine Continent, Dongxue and Ruoyue were seeing off Zhu Huiqing and Chunxiang. "After this parting, I don't know when we will meet again. Please take care, my two senior sisters!" Dongxue looked at the two of them, her voice heavy with the weight of parting.
Zhu Huiqing comforted her, saying, "Junior sister, there's no need to be so sad. We'll return to Tianji Palace after we finish our business. Don't worry too much."
Ruoyue's expression was solemn and filled with worry. Her cheeks twitched slightly, and she finally couldn't help but speak: "Chunxiang, I understand that it's impossible for you to let go of the hatred in your heart. But I still have to say that hatred will only become a heavy shackle on your path of cultivation, causing you to sink deeper and deeper into the tribulations of the mortal world... It's not too late to turn back now! Let bygones be bygones. Stay in Tianji Palace and follow the Palace Master to cultivate diligently..."
"Whoa!" Before Ruoyue could finish speaking, Chunxiang abruptly raised her sword-wielding hand, a cold movement silencing her. Thanks to the miraculous healing effects of the White Milk Ointment, Chunxiang's previously scarred and grotesque face had recovered considerably, leaving only some faint dark scars. However, her throat had been poisoned and rendered mute by Ling Xueyan, and even Yu Linglong was powerless to help.
Hearing Ruoyue's words, Chunxiang's facial muscles twitched violently, and she let out a "hoarse" sound as she inhaled. Her gaze was as fierce as a knife, as if she were declaring to everyone with her eyes: she would repay tenfold for the torment Ling Xueyan had inflicted on her! This hatred was irreconcilable!
Seeing her expression, Ruoyue's eyes dimmed, and she finally said helplessly, "Alright... I hope you have a safe journey." After saying that, she turned away sadly.
Dongxue glanced at Ruoyue, her cheeks twitching slightly, and said to Chunxiang, "Senior Sister, please forgive us for not being able to go with you. Although we are fellow disciples, we dare not touch the tribulations of the mortal world and destroy our hard-won cultivation, given our master's dying instructions and the palace master's strict orders." Her words were filled with deep helplessness.
Upon hearing this, Chunxiang stepped forward, took Dongxue's hand, and wrote stroke by stroke on her palm: "I will overcome my own tribulation! If I cannot get through this, do not be sad for me. I chose this path, and I have no regrets."
Her fingers stopped, and tears instantly welled up in Dongxue's eyes. She forced back the sob in her throat and said in a trembling voice, "Senior Sister... take care!"
Chunxiang nodded slightly, turned her head and gazed deeply at Ruoyue's retreating figure. With a hardened heart, she turned back, leaped, and her figure disappeared into the vast sea of clouds in the blink of an eye, suspended on the iron chain. "Chunxiang!" Ruoyue suddenly turned and called out, tears streaming down her face. Her outstretched hand froze in mid-air, finally slowly withdrawing and pressing tightly against her aching heart. She lowered her eyes, trembling silently.
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